Midway

Midway is a 2.4-square mile atoll in the north Pacific Ocean, located halfway between North America and Asia, hence its name. Midway has no native inhabitants and was uninhabited until the 19th century; on 28 August 1867, the United States formally took possession of the island, and it was administered by the US Navy. In 1903, the island became home to a radio station, and it was also utilized as a means for the US government to build a trans-Pacific telegraph line. In 1942, Japan attempted to bomb and capture Midway island, but the US Navy decisively defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Midway. It was used as a naval air facility from 1968 to 1993, and the island was then handed over to civilians. Around 40 to 60 people live on the island, mostly contract workers or Fish and Wildlife Service employees.